Need some help here. Some people mentioned that a Catalina 30 is a good liveaboard boat for a newbie to sailing with some decent space for gear and stuff. The only probelm is that the head room is only 6'5" and I'm 6'2" - not enough.

I'll consider a larger Catalina - maybe a 34' - or a Hunter 30 or 33 - or a Pearson 30 or 32 - any thoughts on these? More importantly, does anyone know where I can find specs on head room for the above?

The Catalina 30 is about the roomiest boat in the 30 foot size, and is also a decent sailboat for performance in coastal cruising. For a "newbie", as you mentioned, do you really want to go to a larger boat--a 30 foot sailboat is alot to handle for someone without much experience (I have owned a sailboat for 15 years, first a 22 foot, then a 23 foot, have chartered a 32 foot and 33 foot, and recently bought a 30 foot boat, and still find the 30 foot boat a challenge to maneuver in marinas, etc.)

On the other hand, if you are going to stay at the dock, and use it as a floating condo, that's different.

I raise this simply to encourage you to think about the advantages and disadvantages of the various size sailboats you might be considering.

The C30 is a fine boat. You could also look at a 320. I owned one for some years and feel it is one of the best designs by Catalina. It handles very, very well and is easy (& fun) to sail. Maybe a little more money? That I have not checked out. Also, as a liveaboard, the larger and more comfortable the boat, the more comfortable you are, and the more likely you are to enjoy that life. Living aboard is fun, challenging, and frustrating (each of those every day). Leave the kitchen table, bring the Bob Marley. With the right frame of mind and adjustment, you will enjoy it.

The only probelm is that the head room is only 6'5" and I'm 6'2" - not enough.
Thanks,
Jim

I think you must mean that you are 6'5" because the Catalina 30s have 6'2" headroom. I'm 6'7" with a Catalina 34 that has 6'3" headroom. I love it, but it's too small for me to live aboard (not to mention my wife and kids too ). If it's just you, I'd look for something in the 33-34 ft range.

I'm finding out that Catalina 30's are 6'5" - and 6'4" and 6'3" and 6'2" - I understand they made a change in the design - something about leveling out the fllor or something, and head-room was sacrificed in the process - so it depends on the model.

I think a 30 footer will be enough in the beginning - in the beginning I will relocate my job to somewhere close to a marina, and keep my car and use rent a storage shed - hopefully after a year or so, I'll upgrade to a bigger boat.

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